Successor factions of the Covenant Empire
The successor states to the Covenant Empire were born of the conflicts that brought down the 3,400 year old religious hegemony. Fragmentation began on November 3, 2552, with an attempt by the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy to remove the Sangheili from all positions of authority and replace them with the Jiralhanae. The fallout and subsequent violence thoroughly ravaged the Covenant capital city of High Charity and threw the whole of the Covenant military into disarray. The unprecedented disaster claimed thousands of lives, including the loss of hundreds of senior officials and officers, the High Prophet of Mercy among them. A few major factions developed out of the calamity: Truth's Loyalists, the Covenant Separatists, and the Alliance of the Faithful. Truth's Loyalists, also known as the Covenant Loyalists, were those forces dominated by the Jiralhanae with the High Prophet of Truth as their undisputed leader. The Covenant Separatists were dominated by the Sangheili and had rallied around the banner of Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, mostly in direct opposition to Truth and his forces. Finally, the Alliance of the Faithful was created by a Sangheili Imperial Admiral as a "third path", which rejected Truth and the Jiralhanae but maintained faith in the Great Journey. A fourth major faction had forming under the banner of another Sangheili Imperial Admiral, Xytan 'Jar Wattinree, when it had been obliterated by an unexplained cataclysm.The destruction of the Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose remained a mystery until 2559, when human investigators belonging to the Office of Naval Intelligence determined the source of the explosion to have been Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb's NOVA Bomb. How the device was activated late while on board the Imperial Admiral's flagship was never satisfactorily determined. Further fragmentation was prevented by the staying power of the Separatists and Loyalists, and by the efforts of the unaffiliated Prophet of Reliance. The Fall of Truth in late December 2552 shattered the Loyalists and resumed the fragmentation of the Covenant at an accelerated pace. The first month of 2553 saw the latent ambitions of hundreds of previously loyal Covenant officials awakened and realized, with a dozen new factions formed every day. The Sangheili State was created out of the Covenant Separatists, while the Alliance of the Faithful continued its advance. Dissolution was not unopposed, however, with a new council formed on the Covenant world of Enduring Spirit; further fragmentation was curtailed by the reestablishment of the empire as the Covenant of Enduring Spirit on April 2, 2553. Factions Major factions Major factions and successor states are listed in approximately chronological order. Truth's Loyalists The conspiracy to replace the Sangheili with the Jiralhanae effectively ignited the Covenant Civil War; those who endorsed this new order came to be known as Truth's Loyalists. Initial leadership comprised the High Prophet of Truth and the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, Tartarus of Clan Rukt; with the latter slain less than a day into the Civil War and the former focused entirely on events in the Sol system, the Loyalists relied upon various local officers and officials, and eventually formed a War Council of Jiralhanae chieftains and commanders. Significant gains are made in November and early December, with much of Covenant space intimidated or forced into the Loyalist fold. The Fall of Truth undid most Loyalist successes, leading to the sudden collapse of the Loyalist front in late December 2552 and January 2553. Thousands of civilian and military leaders repudiated the Loyalists, including the Alpha Chieftains of Doisac. Truth's Loyalists vowed to fight on, and remained a dangerous combatant into the late 2560s. Covenant Separatists Following Truth's unprecedented actions and the murderous onslaught of the Jiralhanae, the Sangheili rallied around an unexpected leader, the recently-appointed Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee. While 'Vadamee was not present during the madness of the Fall of High Charity, he was seized upon by Sangheili military and political leaders as a desperately needed hero; surviving an assassination attempt and killing the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae catapulted the Arbiter's reputation into the realm of legends. The Arbiter, recently disgraced and demoted, was abruptly given greater political and military power than any Sangheili had possessed in the previous three thousand years. The Separatists embraced many of 'Vadamee's beliefs, including aligning themselves with Humanity against Truth and his supporters and denouncing the Great Journey as a lie. Despite the Arbiter's tremendous reputation, adoration of him was not universal, and many Sangheili left the Separatists. In the aftermath of the Fall of Truth and widening of the Covenant Civil War, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam acquiesced to the creation of a new entity, the Sangheili State. Following a conclave on Sanghelios, the Sagnheili State is reformed into the Sangheili Empire. ''Righteous Purpose'' The hugely popular and widely-respected Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree saw opportunity in the destabilization of the Covenant, both for personal aggrandizement and for the extinction of the Jiralhanae. Already in command of the Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose - a legendary armada with a lengthy and glorious history - Wattinree's call attracted hundreds of senior Sangheili commanders to a meeting on the colony world of Joyous Exultation. The Imperial Admiral intended to outline a campaign of extermination against the Jiralhanae; he also permitted an expedition to be formed against the human world of Onyx. Prior to launching his anticipated campaign, however, the Imperial Admiral and his assembled forces were destroyed in a titanic cataclysm. A similarly horrendous disaster destroyed the Onyx expedition. Survivors of either catastrophe ultimately joined other factions. Alliance of the Faithful Faced with the choice between an anti-religious separatist movement and a murderous and xenophobic loyalist cult, Sangheili Imperial Admiral Foro 'Jar Utaralee took a third choice and founded the Alliance of the Faithful. A sanctuary for those faithful to the Great Journey but opposed to the machinations of the High Prophet of Truth, the Alliance accepted all but the Jiralhanae. With Utaralee at its helm, the Alliance of the Faithful rapidly expanded across Covenant space to become a major player in future conflicts. Sangheili Empire Founded against the rise of the Alliance and a council taking place on Enduring Spirit, the Sangheili Empire was created from the Sangheili State in March 2553. The Empire invested administrative and military authority in a great council, though the Arbiter remained a dominant authority. The move from State to Empire was done to significantly strengthen the hand of the government, developing huge enthusiasm from wayward and unaffiliated Sangheili. Covenant of Enduring Spirit The Covenant of Enduring Spirit was the product of the Council of Enduring Spirit, in which the Covenant was effectively reforged: High Prophets were elected by a new High Council - one including Jiralhanae for the first time - and new ministers, administrators, and officers were appointed. Empire of the Jiralhanae Covenant Remnant Jiralhanae Confederation Minor factions Minor factions and successor entities are listed alphabetically. Guardians of the Sacred Way Supported by a bedrock of absolute faith in the Great Journey, the Guardians of the Sacred Way sought to continue advancing their understanding of the Forerunners and their ways. Led by the Prophet of Forbearance, a former senior staffer of the Ministry of Discovery, the San'Shyuum, Sangheili, Huragok, and Lekgolo under his command worked to preserve and protect Forerunner artifacts while seeking knowledge. A longtime associate of the High Prophet of Mercy, Forbearance sought to achieve what his missing comrade had not: an index of Forerunner worlds and creations. Holy Inquisition The most irregular group to depart the Loyalists after the Fall of Truth, the Holy Inquisition was founded by the self-declared High Prophet of Inquisition and his hand-picked champion, Supreme War Chieftain Ardorum. Inquisition, the former Vice Minister of Penance, entered a pact with Ardorum, one of the many Jiralhanae leaders dissatisfied with War Council heading the Loyalists; declare the current situation a crisis and seize inquisitorial authority, theoretically elevating an inquisitor to a greater power than even a High Prophet. Ardorum agreed and led the breakaway, bringing with them thousands of troops and dozens of vessels. In spite of the subsequent declaration of inquisition, only a small number of settlements and formations rallied to the Holy Inquisition and neither the Alliance nor the followers of Reliance even officially acknowledged its existence. In response, the High Prophet of Inquisition declared hostilities against practically every non-compliant in Covenant space. Jiralhanae kingdoms In the months between the Fall of Truth and Reformation of Enduring Spirit, dozens of minor Jiralhanae chieftains set themselves up as warlords. Generally referred to as kingdoms or fiefdoms, these minor states possess little power or resources and rarely progress beyond minimal territorial expansion. Arguably, the greatest collective achievement of the Jiralhanae kingdoms is the chronic weakening of the Loyalists and independent Doisac authorities. Empire of Seglur Initially created as the "Imperial Territory of Seglur" by Warlord Delitorum on January 11, 2553, Delitorum expanded his holdings by subjugating the Domain of Tval and the Principalities of Ghrar and Kryn; following the conquest of the Dominion of Chuul, Delitorum declared the Imperial Territory an Empire and granted himself the title Supreme Warlord in 2554. Domain of Koresh Claiming the Jiralhanae colony world of Koresh for himself, War Chieftain Caedesum violently severed ties with the Loyalists on January 3, 2553. Caedesum purged his forces of all Clan Rukt Jiralhanae and declared himself Warlord and ruler of the Domain of Koresh. Domain of Tval Created on February 14, 2553, the Domain of Tval was extensive but weak. Stable under the unimpressive leadership of Chieftain Pigerus, the Domain proved no match for the aggressive Imperial Territory of Seglur, submitting to Warlord Delitorum in June 2553. Dominion of Chuul Created by Chieftain Butyrumus, the Dominion of Chuul severed ties with Loyalist forces in February 2553. The Dominion was ultimately subjugated by the forces of Warlord Delitorum in December 2554. Dominion of Mattik The Dominion of Mattik was announced by Warlord Trebaxus on January 21, 2553. Dominion of Taalbor War Chieftain Bardus marshaled his forces across three systems and on January 17, 2553, declared both followers and territories to be independent of the Loyalists and any other would-be New Covenant. His new kingdom comprised four settled planets, a dozen capital ships, and more than a thousand Jiralhanae soldiers. Hold of Gaulus Emboldened by other successful desertions, Chieftain Gaulus seized control of the Tarae system and laid claim to its single inhabited world on February 8, 2553. Territory of Qoros Established on January 17, 2553 and ruled by Warlord Achanum, the Territory of Qoros was sustained by the surprising discipline of its defenders. Though initially lacking a significant capital ship, Achanum's forces possessed numerous destroyers and frigates. Kig-Yar principalities Numerous Kig-Yar princes established small domains for themselves across Covenant Space, establishing several piracy-based principalities. Starting in the aftermath of the Fall of Truth, Kig-Yar principalities rose and fell on a regular basis for the rest of the Covenant Civil War. Eventually, the majority fell under the sway of a few Grand Princes, who themselves answered to a High Queen on Eayn. Order of Harmonious Balance Universally hated and despised, the Order of Harmonious Balance was a fringe sect led by the self-styled Prophet of Sacred Redemption. Infuriated by the actions of both Covenant and Humanity, these fanatics intended to purify and redeem the galaxy by releasing the Flood once more. Already fiercely opposed by all other factions and governments, the Order faced the additional difficulty of first finding Flood to release. The Unforgiving The Unforgiving comprised a group of Sangheili intent on avenging those murdered at the behest of the High Prophet of Truth, primarily those killed by Loyalist forces in the last months of 2552. Founded by Generals Noga 'Zor and Zuka 'Qalav, and Major Jul 'Zukgakai, The Unforgiving sought to eliminate San'Shyuum and Jiralhanae leaders who ordered or participated in massacres and executions of Sangheili. Unggoy emancipation movement Owing more to the continuous upheavals of late 2552 and early 2553 than to an organized initiative, the Unggoy emancipation movement began as a disorganized coalition of Unggoy who sought improvements for their species. It developed into a rough military entity, complete with a space fleet and ground formations. Lacking strong centralized leadership in its early years, the movement suffered numerous setbacks and defeats. Warriors of Truth A small organization of fanatic Sangheili under the command of Field Marshal Zhar 'Koraqai, the Warriors of Truth vehemently opposed the cessation of the Human-Covenant War. Refusing to acknowledge the end of the conflict, they intended to resume the destruction of Humanity as quickly as possible. Similarly, participants in either a general peace agreement or the Separatist-Human alliance were labeled traitors and heretics, and targeted for assassination. Notes See also *Covenant Remnant *Covenant Civil War *Remnant War Category:Covenant remnants